I paired this beer with: Homemade pizza with pepperoni, anchovies, green olives and garlic. Great pizza & great pairing!!!!

Tasted on: Friday March 12th, 2010.

Note: Bottled on 01/04/10 Track # 091214. I could drink this beer 6 days a week (I need to have some variety, so I will not drink this 7 days a week). As for the 93ish IBU’s of this beer, it doesn’t hit you like an extreme hop bomb. You know the hops are there, but it’s not in your face and very very drinkable. The dichotomy of this beer is such that…If you don’t like hoppy beers or if you do like a hoppy beer, well this one is for you. Too bad this is not a regular beer in S Florida.

Squeeze those hops for all they’re worth and prepare to pucker up: Nugget Nectar Ale, will take hopheads to nirvana with a heady collection of Nugget, Warrior and Tomahawk hops. Starting with the same base ingredients of our flagship HopBack Amber Ale, Nugget Nectar intensifies the malt and hop flavors to create an explosive hop experience.

Note: This was a 2008 vintage bottle. Either this beer or I had multiple personalities tonight. Each sip I tasted something else. I first liked this beer, and then loved it, then it was Ok, then it was good but maybe too sweet, then I just loved it again. Try it yourself and find out, because I am! I couldn’t believe after I finished the bottle that it was 11.0% ABV, it drank like it was 5-7%.

From their website:

Seasonal Release: (Mid October – December)

Hop Bitterness (IBU’s):15

Color: Ruby Red

Malts: Pilsner, Munich &Chocolate

Hops: Saaz & Hallertau

Yeast: Belgian Spicy Yeast

JuJu: Pennsylvania Honey & Sweet and Sour Cherries

The Mad Elf, a cheerful creation to warm your heart and enlighten your tongue. The combination of Cherries, Honey, and Chocolate Malts delivers gentle fruits and subtle spices. Fermented and aged with a unique yeast, this ruby red beer has significant warming strength that underlies the pleasant character of this intriguing yet delicious Ale. The Mad Elf, a jolly and delicious beer for the Holidays.